Schnitzelbank Bratwurst

Schnitzelbank in semifinals of super sandwiches

Aimee Blume / Special to the Courier & Press
Judy Meyer (left) and Lindsay Letterman of The Schnitzelbank offer the restaurant's famous bratwurst sandwich two ways: on the right is the standard — served with rye bread, German fries and creamy slaw. On the left it's a bratzel — served with kraut on a soft pretzel and topped with honey mustard, with German fries and red cabbage.

Aimee Blume / Special to The Courier Press
Merkley and Sons' Meats in Jasper's bratwurst are in the running for Indiana's most Super Sandwich in honor of Super Bowl XLVI, to be held in Indianapolis Feb 5.

In honor of Indiana's upcoming hosting of the 46th Super Bowl, 46 "super" sandwiches from throughout the state have been featured in a contest counting down to one super champion. The idea was the brainchild of the Indiana Office of Tourism Development. After all, with thousands and thousands of first-time visitors pouring into Indiana, somebody needs to tell them where to get the best eats.

The chosen sandwiches range from burgers and Southern BBQ through the flavors of Provence and Italy; there is a Cuban torta, beef tongue cheese steak, and a Vietnamese sub with fresh herbs and liver pate to name only a few. The restaurants behind the nominees are mostly concentrated around Indianapolis and Bloomington, but there are sandwiches from all parts of the state.

From our German-bred neck of the woods, the Schweinefilet (big breaded pork tenderloin) from the Gerst Haus and the Bratwurst sandwich from The Schnitzelbank in Jasper made the list.

Although we're sorry to report that the Schweinefilet has been sent home with honors after a round of online voting, the Schnitz' brat has risen into the top ranks of the semifinal round and is poised to enter the final four.

"We're doing really well in the judging," said Jackie Lynch, Bar Manager at The Schnitz. "We're really hanging in there, it looks like we're going to be in the top four. I think they picked a good eclectic mix of sandwiches — they went through and found a good sampling. It's exciting because I think the winning sandwich is really going to be synonymous with the state."

"We serve two Merkley's bratwursts over a bed of kraut with two pieces of marble rye to the side," she said. "So you could make it a sandwich if you want. Our kraut is really good, and it's served with creamy slaw and German fries. All of the sides are really good. It's a really nice plate."

Lynch also reported that they've been selling a second bratwurst concoction called a "Bratzel" sandwich. This one tops a pile of kraut with a soft pretzel, two brats, and a blanket of honey mustard.

"We sell about half and half of those items," she said. "People love them."

The whole thing really gets my personal head all swollen, because the Schnitzelbank serves Merkley's bratwurst, and my father, Tom Blume, has been "making meat" in Merkley's sausage kitchen in Jasper for nearly 50 years now.

"The Schnitzelbank gets the traditional plain bratwurst," he said, although he noted that Merkley's makes a variety of brats with flavors from pizza to pineapple.

"We make about 400 pounds of the plain every week," he said. "The Schnitz gets a lot of it, and most of the rest gets sold over the counter; some goes out to stores." The pork is ground in-house at Merkley's to a finer consistency than found in most bratwurst. Then the proprietary blend of spices is mixed in and the sausage hand-stuffed and cooked before packaging and shipping.

Locally, you can find Merkley's bratwurst at Buehler's Buy Low groceries, and many Merkley's sausages — but not the brats — at The Old Fashioned Butcher Shoppe on Stringtown Road.

And if you're feeling super-hungry, head to Gerst Haus for a taste of the most super Schweinefilet in Southern Indiana.

To check out all of Indiana's super 46 sandwiches and vote in the final round, go to www.super46.com.